If the fictional TV towns of Stars Hollow ("Gilmore Girls") and Mayfield ("Leave it to Beaver") existed in the real world, they'd probably look something like Mount Horeb — but with a healthy dose of trolls.

The quaint town (pop. 7,011), just 20 miles west of Madison, is the kind where a high school barbershop quartet entertains visitors at a Thursday afternoon farmers market. Where residents and visitors alike pile into the local brewpub on a Saturday afternoon, decked in red to cheer on the Badgers. Where the historical society museum boasts a collection of artifacts and exhibits that would be impressive for a town twice its size. Where Main St. is lined with historic buildings now filled with trendy shops, restaurants and even a winery.

And scattered throughout, more than 30 troll statues and other troll references that have led the community to embrace the title of "Troll Capital of the World."

It all combines for a delightful little getaway on the edge of Wisconsin's Driftless Region.

Trolling history

The troll theme — like any good tourism draw — has its roots in both history and smart marketing.

The town got its name from Englishman George Wright in the mid-1800s. Because of the area's hilly nature, Wright — the area's first postmaster — named the local post office Mount Horeb after the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

While the community today plays up its Norwegian roots, in the late 1800s the area was home to a number of immigrant groups in addition to Norwegians, including Germans, Swiss, Scottish and Irish, said Destinee Udelhoven, executive director for the Mount Horeb Area Historical Society.

The historical society's museum, 100 S. 2nd St., tells this immigrant story with an impressive collection of artifacts.

"I have never seen a better collection than this society has. For a small-town society, they have done wonders with limited resources," said Udelhoven, who joined the society as its first full-time employee in 2015. She noted that less than 5% of the society's collection is on display in the current museum, but that will change as the museum embarks on a major expansion.

While the museum doesn't officially open until the end of April, Udelhoven said she's around most days and is happy to open the door for visitors who stop by. The new facility — dubbed the Driftless Historium — opens in June 2017.

The trolls came to Mount Horeb a little later than their European human counterparts.

In 1976, Open House Imports, a local Scandinavian gift shop, placed a few trolls imported from Norway outside its doors to draw in shoppers.

The trolls caught the attention of both visitors and passers-by, with truck drivers announcing on their radios they had passed their fellow drivers' mother-in-law on 18/151 — a reference to the trolls as they passed through Mount Horeb.

Fast forward about a decade, when the Wisconsin Department of Transportation decided to build a bypass for Highway 18/151 around Mount Horeb. The highway — the main drag between Madison and Dubuque, Iowa, — had previously brought travelers through town.

"The townsfolk thought people would just bypass Mount Horeb," said Melissa Theisen, executive director of Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce. So the town decided to channel the power of the trolls.

The town initiated a marketing campaign encouraging drivers to "Take the Trollway Through Mount Horeb." Local woodcarver Michael Feeney created a handful of fun troll statues that were placed along Main St., and the troll theme took hold with businesses like Trollway Insurance and the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub getting in on the fun.

And as the town's tourist population has grown — Theisen estimated half a million visitors make their way to Mount Horeb every year — so, too, has the troll population.

"We had a troll repopulation in the last two years, with some new, different carvers" creating statues, Theisen said, adding that there are now statues made from wool and metal in addition to wood.

What to do

Pick up a Trollway map at the chamber of commerce building — featuring dark wood eaves reminiscent of Scandinavian buildings — at 300 E Main St. The map contains the locations of the 32 trolls around town.

Purchase a troll of your own at the source: Open House Imports, 308 E. Main St. The gift shop also has other items imported from Norway and beyond.

Browse wood crafts — everything from cutting boards to earrings — at Artisan Woods Gallery, 109 E. Main St., or stock up on knitting supplies at The Cat and Crow, 205 E. Main St.

Stop by the flagship store for the Duluth Trading Co., 100 W. Main St., to stock up on outdoor gear before heading out to enjoy the beauty of the Driftless Region.

"People love this area for the rolling hills, from a recreation standpoint," Theisen said. "We call it the gateway to the Driftless Area — so there's rolling hills, and lots of scenery and beautiful landscapes."

The 40-mile Military Ridge State Trail is a favorite, cutting through downtown Mount Horeb en route from Madison to Dodgeville. Pedal the limestone rail-trail about 15 miles west of Mount Horeb to Ridgeway to see the last remaining railroad depot along the trail, restored by its friends group.

Cyclists 16 and older need a state trail pass ($25/year, $5/day). Pick one up at a self-registration station at the trailhead in Mount Horeb off 2nd St., south of Front St.

The trail also skirts the southern edge of Blue Mound State Park, named for the highest point in southern Wisconsin. Take in terrific views from two observation towers on the mound, then hike the 1.3-mile Flintrock Trail or .5-mile Indian Marker Tree Trail for a look at the area's unique geology.

The park is also a prime spot for mountain biking, with nearly 15 miles of single-track trails winding through the wooded terrain. The trails have a reputation as being some of the most challenging in the state, said Walter Hougas, a trail steward with the Capital Off Road Pathfinders and a board member of the Friends of Blue Mound State Park.

As part of an amendment to the park's master plan approved in January 2016, the friends group and CORP will help reconfigure an existing trail into a beginners loop to accommodate novice riders, plus rework some of the popular Overlode Trail to address erosion issues.

Mountain bikers need a state trail pass and should stay off the trails when they are wet and muddy.

It's hard to avoid mud in Cave of the Mounds, a National Natural Landmark a few miles west of Mount Horeb in Blue Mounds. The cave's near constant temperatures of 50 degrees makes for a cool getaway in the summer and a bit of warmth in the winter. One-hour guided tours ($16.95/adults, $8.50/kids ages 4-12) are offered daily and include an up close look at stalactites, stalagmites, columns and other geological formations.

Where to eat

All that activity calls for a hearty burger and brew from the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub, 105 S. 2nd St. The Grevling is Wisconsin in burger form: beef topped with a bratwurst, sauerkraut and cheddar cheese. Order it with sweet potato tots and wash it down with a pint of the brewery's Eric the Red, a malty amber.

For seasonal fare, try the upscale Bistro 101, 101 E. Main St. The restaurant serves up a changing menu of seafood, flatbreads, pasta, steaks and more in a century-old building.

For breakfast and casual lunch fare, stop by Schubert's, 128 E. Main St. The bakery and cafe makes everything from scratch, including granola, cinnamon streusel French toast and savory soups and sandwiches.

Sjolinds is another option for light breakfast and lunch offerings, and scrumptious chocolates crafted in house. The dessert and coffee house opened at 219 E. Main St. in 2006, and earlier this year the Thompson family opened another bigger location — dubbed the Sjolinds Chocolate Factory — at 150 Lillehammer Lane on the east side of town. Both locations churn out a variety of "bean to bar" chocolates, made on-site starting with the raw bean.